The Hailwood AW18, BLACK VELVET show has been one of my standout favourites on the runway at this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week, and I think I fell as hopelessly in love with the hair and makeup looks as I did with the collection.

KMS haircare collaborated with local style star Adrian Hailwood once again to a create big, bouncy hair look, whilst upcoming M.A.C Cosmetics superstar Lochie Stonehouse was responsible for the beautiful – and very wearable – makeup to go with.

The KMS team backstage was lead by Vada salon Senior Stylist Rin Lee, who created a look in collaboration with Hailwood that showcased the synergies between fashion and style and the international haircare brand’s newly relaunched styling focused range. “This collection is all about texture rather than embellishment,” said Hailwood of BLACK VELVET, “but there is still theatricality, just pared back.” The designer’s signature evening gowns were complemented by a hair look that referenced a languid, seventies style - a pulled back glamour that worked perfectly with the drama of the collection’s silhouettes. Think: Valley of the Dolls but a day after the last cocktail party…

The show saw each and every model sporting an identical look – with some concession to their individual hair length – that was inspired by the big hair of the disco era but not a literal interpretation. Lee says the essential products to get the look included many of the offerings in the KMS AddVolume collection, in particular Styling Foam Mousse for its ability to create extreme volume exactly where it’s needed. Root & Body Lift Spray was also used to generate lift directly from the roots of the hair, and all hair was prepped well beforehand using the brand’s iconic HairPlay Makeover Spray for texture and grit.

The incredible Lochie Stonehouse took inspiration for the makeup look from “Seventies ochre and moss fabrics across the eyes”, starting with a flawless base using M.A.C’s ever-popular Studio Face & Body Foundation, Studio Finish Concealer and Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Groundwork (one of my personal faves) to contour.

Half of the beauties on the runway sported an eye look created using Fluidline Brow GelCreme in Redhead, LipMix in Ochre and Texture Eye Shadow, whilst the others wore Acrylic Paint in Landscape Green and Pigment in Landscape Green. Extended Play Mascara and Lip Conditioner were used on both.

Last night’s Zambesi show at New Zealand Fashion Week was as always, a revelation. A celebration of clever, beautiful style on a refreshingly diverse group of kick arse models, it also featured a striking makeup look courtesy of M.A.C Cosmetics’ talent Kiekie Stanners.

The inspiration for the look was futuristic skin, with soft pastel veils of colour picked directly from the collection finished with a statement neon jet of colour under the eyes.

Key products includes Goldlite Strobe Cream and Vanilla pigment mixed together and applied to the skin, with Cream Colour Base in Pearl to highlight. The distinctive eye look was created using custom LipMix colours wrapped around the eyes, with Process Magenta pigment or Chrome Yellow Eye Shadow placed at the inner corner of each eye. Lips were a simple slick of clear LipGlass. Just beautiful.

I’m on the ground at New Zealand Fashion Week for the next few days working with FashionTV NZ, and wearing a hell of a lot more slap than I usually would as a result. During the week I am often a BB Cream, mascara and little else kind of woman, topped off with a bright red lip if a work commitment is in the diary. This week I am next level with foundation, primer, highlighter, shadows and more, and need something pretty grunty to take it all off.

Here’s where the new Dermalogica PreCleanse Balm steps in, a new release that I cannot get enough of. It has been designed to take the skin back to what they are calling “step zero” at the end of each day, which in the city is more relevant than ever. The skin accumulates quite a bit of "dirt" on a daily basis, which forms a thick, slick, waxy coating on the skin by the middle of the day. Four aspects that make up this 'dirt' are sunscreen, pollution, makeup and excess sebum. Without a proper cleanse to rinse all of this off, no amount of fancy cream, expensive serum, or anti-aging elixir is going to fix your skin.

Apparently most people only spend about 20 seconds washing their faces - much less than the time they spend doing hair or make-up. Dermalogica says that those 20 seconds using just a standard face wash or make-up removal wipe is definitely not enough to penetrate the layer of sebum, pollutants and cosmetic debris that coat the skin's surface. In most cases, that layer remains on the skin, preventing moisturisers and other skin care products from doing their work while dulling the skin's appearance and contributing to congestion. Clogged pores and dullness? No thanks.

"Step zero" using the PreCleanse Balm is Dermalogica’s first step in the daily cleanse to take the skin back to zero, with zero make-up, zero residue, and zero irritation.

On sale from Friday 8th September 2017 for the recommended retail price of $75, the balm is ideal for normal to dry skin due to its super nourishing key ingredients, a natural Biolipid Complex and Apricot Kernel Oil. The original Dermalogica PreCleanse (Oil) is a better choice for normal to oily skin, but for drier skin like mine it is a proper wonder.

PreCleanse Balm comes with its own cleansing mitt, which I took a little while to get used to but now love. You dispense an almond sized amount of the product onto the mitt or directly into your dry hands, and then massage over your dry face, neck, décolletage and eyes using circular motions to dissolve surface oil, dirt, make-up and SPF. You will notice it transforms from a balm to oil on contact with the skin. After about a minute, add water to emulsify by massaging to create a light, milky formula, then spend some time massaging to lift the dirt before rinsing off with warm water. Follow with your usual cleanser then treat away as you see fit using your optimal skincare routine.

This may seem like a little bit of a pre-sleep performance, but I like to file it under “self care” and think of all the good its doing to me. I highly recommend you do the same x

It’s about time we had a change of season, with Spring clearly in the air where I am and many of us embracing the sense of optimism that brings. Your hair is one of the easiest ways to start edging into the warmer months without freezing to death, and Haircare Australia Creative Director, Lauren McCowan has kindly outlined some of the upcoming trends in hair as we begin shimmying down the shiny slope into spring

In the above pic super ‘it’ girl Gigi Hadid’s hair has been coloured using Evo Fabuloso Pro by celebrity stylist Kenna (@kennalandny) and is a good starting point for inspo when it comes to bold and vibrant coloured hair making an appearance, alongside plaits and other playful hairstyles.

Lauren McCowan says that she is starting to see five distinct global hair trends emerging this spring, which are:

1. It’s all about luxe and lived in tresses. Smooth hair with a subtle wave in the mid lengths adding a Parisian chic vibe while looking effortless. To ace this look it all starts with good prep, including heat serums and the correct styling tools, all polished off with a good dosing of hairspray.

2. Brighten up your locks, à la Gigi. The spring season sees a blast of colour with a contrast between vibrant jewel tones and soft, dream-like pastels. The spring season is all about having fun and why should that stop when it comes to our hair?

3. Spring is the season of transition as we move out of winter and head towards summer. The buzz cut is the ‘buzz’ around town with celebs like Cara Delevingne staking their claim on this bold look. But if that’s a little too adventurous then any short crop style or pixie cut will do!

4. We’re seeing a lot of fun and flirty braids and other playful elements come through in styling. Fishtail braids are a perfect way to extend your hairstyle for another day prior to washing. For an on trend finish, pull the braids apart to loosen and create softness to your style.

5. Sport luxe. Think chic ponytails that can take you from the gym to dinner with shiny wet-look finishes. Add spray waxes and shine spray for a dry wet look that will last the day. A go-to look that can hide a multitude of sins and instantly lift your look.

I love a poppin’ lip, and they didn’t come much bolder and brighter than Nicki Minaj’s pink-tastic creation with M.A.C for the VIVA GLAM 2012 campaign. An ultra bright, yellow-toned pink with a satin finish, it was the perfect choice for a statement lip and just a hell of a lot of fun, and quickly became one of the top selling Viva Glam collections of all time.

With that in mind, it was not that much of a surprise when M.A.C n’ Minaj mentioned late last night that they have collaborated again, and their newest custom-designed creations look set to be just as massive, if not more! A little while ago Nicki went through quite the epic make-under process, swapping her usual cartoonish, neon aesthetic for a more neutral, sleek vibe, and the world went nuts. Her two new M.A.C lipstick creations echo this vibe, and look thus far incredibly wearable for almost any skin tone. They come in the form of Nicki’s Nude and The Pinkprint, creamy mocha neutrals that the singer is often seen wearing. Nicki’s Nude is a soft corally pink, whilst The Pinkprint is a mid-tone creamy pink. The finish for both is Amplified.

I recently popped into the Elizabeth Arden Boutique at 62 Queen Street in Auckland’s CBD for the Ultimate Arden Facial, and it reaffirmed for me what an important beauty brand it is. Historic and definitely iconic, it was honour that they chose Auckland as their first flagship beauty retail store outside of the U.S., and it is thriving.

After my deliciously multi-faceted, 90 minute long spa indulgence – think a facial paired with a tranquil warm stone upper body massage and natural enzyme peel, collagen mask and décolleté treatment – I was given a tour of the on-site custom colour foundation machine courtesy of manager Lidean. It’s the third retail custom colour foundation-matching machine in the world, and literally all skin tones can be catered for with scientific precision.

The process starts with a spectrophotometer scan of your exact skin tone at time of testing. The results given by this diagnostic tool show your skin’s level of darkness and its golden or pink undertones. Then your skin type is input along with your coverage preference (sheer, medium or full), to ensure a comfortable, long wearing formula that is uniquely yours. Following this remarkably quick consultation and skin reading, the machine dispenses the correct amounts of white, black, yellow and red pigment along with a selection of priming and moisturising ingredients. The beautifully bottled foundation is then presented to you with a label with your name and a unique code attached, and a record is kept in-store – and at all of their locations - for any future purchases. So clever! I was amazed to hear that the service, including boxed foundation, costs just $88. Unheard of for a truly bespoke experience.

I also wanted to give a shout out to the newest Eight Hour incarnation (below), which is just gorgeous and super travel-friendly on all counts. A certified legend and skincare classic, Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant by Elizabeth Arden is a timeless beauty must have that can be found on millions of bathroom shelves and in handbags worldwide. It’s the skincare equivalent of a long-time Hollywood icon, and even has the changes of ‘look’ every now and then befitting of that analogy. The latest limited edition version of the classic multitasker sees it given the international travel treatment as Elizabeth Arden introduces Around the World with Eight Hour, a limited edition collection. The new, global-themed packaging showcases some of the greatest sights and cities around the world, and the TSA-approved sizes are perfect for a handbag or carry-on.

These limited editions combat the unavoidable strain that travel puts on your skin—from reviving jet-lagged skin with the classic Skin Protectant, to replenishing moisture-starved lips with the Lip Duo.The legendary Skin Protectant works wonders on brows, cheeks, hands, cuticles and nails, whilst the super cute Eight Hour Take Off & Touch Down Lip Duo is my new go-to. The new Eight Hour Lip Scrub gently massages over lips to exfoliate, soften and smooth, before the Eight Hour Lip Protectant relieves symptoms of chapped, cracked and dry lips with its moisturising, super-protective lip balm formula.

Both are in store from October 2, 2017, with the Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Limited Edition a very reasonable (as always!) $37.00 (50ml) and Eight Hour Take Off & Touch Down Lip Duo $43.00 for the two 13ml pots.

'He was a bold man that first ate an oyster,’ says a quote by Jonathan Swift on the Aesop website, and it is also a bold type who takes the plunge and brushes with their deliciously un-minty new toothpaste.

The legendary skincare name’s first New Zealand store officially opened in September of last year in Newmarket, Auckland and good god she is beautiful. A trip there comes highly recommended - it’s a treat your senses that will render you almost unable to leave.

Aesop is not your regular high-end skincare, haircare, home fragrance and more company. There are no big promises, no celebrity endorsements, no glossy packaging and no advertising. As a brand, they are committed to celebrating science by integrating both plant-based and laboratory-made ingredients, and the efficacy of their product formulations is world-renowned. I first encountered the brand many years ago on a trip to Sydney and after washing my hands with their premier luxury soap, I was irrevocably hooked. Their less-is-more approach appeals to the type of consumer who doesn’t need fruity surroundings and overbearing retail staff to tell them what is wrong with their skin or what their home should smell like, but those who are happy to pay slightly higher prices for authentic top-quality products that just make you feel good – and work.

Fans of the brand like me will be delighted to know that Aesop has launched its first toothpaste, complementing the Mouthwash in its Oral Care formulation. Aesop is committed to offering plant-based products that smell and taste great and support a chemical free lifestyle, and this new offering ticks all of those boxes.

The toothpaste is fluoride-free and contains mild abrasives to polish, Sea Buckthorn for its soothing properties, and Wasabia Japonica (Wasabi Extract) for its anti-microbial properties to help reduce plaque build-up in synergy with Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate. With essential oils of Cardamom, Anise, Spearmint and Clove and a fluoride-free formula, the mixture is both environmentally derived and intensely effective, with the abrasive touches working to polish stains away for a pearly white glow.

I’m a savoury rather than sweet fan, and so I loved the unique taste of this little number from the get go. You are recommended to brush thoroughly for two minutes, spit out and rinse your mouth, then complete the process by gargling with Aesop’s delicious, alcohol-free Mouthwash. It’s a winning combo, and both products are in store right now.

Aesop’s new Toothpaste has an RRP $19.00 a tube and comes highly recommended.

Your average, run of the mill eyeliner typically comes in one of five forms: pencil, felt-tip, brush-tip, potted, and pen. It’s a category that hasn’t been revitalised in a while but why bother? If you can nail a liner you can nail it, and if you can’t? Get better at mascara.

Then those clever folks at M.A.C Cosmetics come along with what I believe is the world’s first the rollerwheel liquid liner, created with those that find the liner thing tough in mind. The brand spanking new product – on counter in New Zealand right now – was originally introduced to the world by makeup artist Michael Patterson, who used it backstage at New York Fashion Week and put it on Insta. Since that day in February there’s been a whole lot of hype around the perfecting qualities of this innovative beauty product, which I have been lucky enough to be trialling over the past week.

There are three different shades to pick from: the matte ‘On A Roll Black’, royal blue ‘Roller Royale’ and warm brown ‘Rollerwheel Brown’, and they are quite the marvel. While the tip of the liner looks like a pizza cutter, it has none of the actual danger factor of one at acts like “training wheels” for liquid lining. The terribly clever, groundbreaking spinning disk applicator absorbs the perfect amount of product to provide a continuous, smooth, even stroke of colour. Every time. Skinny-lined and defined, a winged effect or a bold geometric look – let the rolling applicator do all the work for the perfect liquid line.

The wheel helps create the sharpest line possible with as little effort possible, and it’s completely unlike anything else on the market right now. With three shades for all your eye-lining needs and an ability to be mastered after just a couple of goes, this little marvel is a revelation. It creates the nice, super nice crisp lines that I love, and if you stay near the lash line and go steady you can create a truly beautiful look. Trust M.A.C to – literally – reinvent the wheel.

But be warned - this beauty is on counter now with an RRP of $42.00, but only for a limited time.

I’ve been forgoing concealer of late, mainly due to the fact that the majority of formulas I've tried settle most unattractively into the fine lines under my eyes, and I’m lucky enough (*touching wood*) not to be prone to blemishes. However, since having a decent play with it, I can officially declare Benefit’s brand spanking new Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer my cover of choice.

Benefit's original Boi-ing Concealer has always been a great option when my eye area isn’t too dry, but the new Boi-ing Airbrush Concealer is a super user-friendly and lighter version for those days you want a no-makeup makeup look.

It blurs, smoothes, and conceals using a soft-focus formula that covers uneven texture and some dark under eye circles, while reducing the look of fine lines. It literally melts on seamlessly – I apply with my ring finger, and blend - and doesn’t crease, cake, or crack. In addition, the flawless, natural-looking finish has been designed to last up to 10 hours, which gets a major thumbs up from me.

What I love most about this new concealer is how it goes on smoothly under my eyes (even without using a primer), and doesn't settle into those pesky fine lines. It won't cover massively dark circles but it will make them less noticeable, and it is also my pick for concealing minor redness.

In addition to launching the new Airbrush Concealer, those lovely people at Benefit have repackaged the rest of the concealer line in the sweetest boxes that definitely have a strong “back to school” vibe that I love. It’s totally, unashamedly Benefit, and the colourful packaging means that products can be found easily in your bathroom drawer or makeup bag. Other options include the Brightening Concealer (which is more full coverage), Industrial Strength Concealer (most definitely full coverage), and Hydrating Concealer (a sheer coverage).

The whole Boi-ing collection is in store now, so head to your nearest Benefit counter and have a play.

If you’re unfamiliar with the brand, O Cosmedics is a medical-grade, professional skincare line, which “utilises highly concentrated active ingredients to rejuvenate your complexion and achieve optimum skin health”. Like the sound of that? Me too. They have created some pretty great – and proven – products over the years, and their Youth Activating Oil Balm has been a favourite of mine for some time now. Essentially a corrective treatment serum, it utilises super rich vitamins and fatty acids to increase skin’s lipid levels and restore skin barrier protection whilst continuously treating, nourishing and repairing skin from the appearance of ageing. To me this means that it’s perfect for times of seasonal change and travel, as well as post-procedure if you’re someone who loves to use lasers and peels.

But enough about the balm, because today I’m here to talk about the brand’s foray into makeup, foundation in fact. Called 1SKIN Treatment Foundation, it’s a high performing, almost beyond natural foundation that has replaced the use of silicones with natural texturisers, designed to hydrate and protect the skin with a velvety finish. Intrigued to know more? I was, and when I finally got to try it DAMN was I impressed.

Its key ingredient is a functional active called Green Pea Polypeptide, which is a multi-functional, anti-ageing whirlwind that repairs the skin and helps with firmness and elasticity. It also supports collagen and elastin synthesis and prevents the degredation of protein abundant in the Extra Cellular Matrix, making it one smart cookie.

The formulation is enhanced by the likes of white cocoa butter and desert date oil, which is known for its hydrating, nourishing and purifying benefits. In addition, 20 per cent of the formula is made by an organic fruit extract, to help fight environmental stress as well as repair skin and support firmness and elasticity, collagen and elastin synthesis.
It is blissfully free from Talc, Parabens, Mineral Oil, Nano-Ingredients, Silicones, Alcohol, Fragrance, Petrochemicals and GMOs, and is currently available in five shades, with more rumoured to be on the way.

So how does it perform? Very well in fact, and I loved the creamy texture from the get-go. The coverage is medium but buildable, and the finish velvety as described, rather than matte. I was super impressed with its staying power for a 98 per cent natural formula, and my skin felt super nourished all through the wear. Awesome!

Made it Italy and Australian owned, this beauty is available now here and from approved clinics.

By Helene Ravlich

About the author:

Helene Ravlich is a freelance writer based in Auckland, New Zealand. A self-confessed beauty fanatic with over fifteen years in the business of writing about all things pretty and beautiful, she has a passion for organic formulations and high performance skincare and is constantly on the search for THE perfect red lipstick. Mum to eight year old whirlwind Wolf, she has written for magazines, websites and newspapers in New Zealand and internationally and loves music, dogs and a good red wine.

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The work on PB is copyright. Apart from use permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised without the permission of Helene Ravlich, 2009.

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Pretty Beautiful claims no credit for the images or magazine content featured on the blog and operates on the understanding that if we receive any complaints about the use of content or images they will be removed. To request the removal of content or images please email helene@mshelene.com